darksmokerising (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
darksmokerising) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
farsickness2020-05-24 03:55 pm
darksmokerising) wrote in farsickness2020-05-24 03:55 pm
Entry tags:
Forging Ahead
WHO: Merlan O'Keefe & YOU
WHEN: The Rest of May - Beginning of June
WHAT: Doing shit and making things
WHERE: Gazin, The Forest, Merlan's Forge
WARNINGS: Cussing? Monster fighting.
WHEN: The Rest of May - Beginning of June
WHAT: Doing shit and making things
WHERE: Gazin, The Forest, Merlan's Forge
WARNINGS: Cussing? Monster fighting.
00.1 𝓜𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷'𝓼 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮
She missed the magic, the gleam of chaos that had been Merlin, which is why she continued to work on various and sundry items out in her little patch of forest clearing. Surrounded by trees, now with a two bedroom house built from logs, sweat, and a bit of blood, Merlan found herself comfortable and actually, for once, rather content. It was a simple life, quiet, away from the town. She even had a spot for her warhorse, Thunder, now. It was only a two-stall barn and fenced pasture in the large clearing but it was well built. Thunder seemed to enjoy it, stocked with decent feed and the odd apple or treat she'd found somewhere along the way from Gazin to here. Her defences were tight and wards would tell her what lurked nearby and then create some truly hideous noises to scare off monsters.
On her porch, which was wrap-around, terminating at a gate where she'd coaxed a garden into both producing food and blooming flowers with a small pool of water with stones set into its mouth. Coin had been easier than most since she went out every few days to monster hunt, grabbing trouble here and there by its talons, head, horns or what-have-you.
Balls?
She missed the magic, the gleam of chaos that had been Merlin, which is why she continued to work on various and sundry items out in her little patch of forest clearing. Surrounded by trees, now with a two bedroom house built from logs, sweat, and a bit of blood, Merlan found herself comfortable and actually, for once, rather content. It was a simple life, quiet, away from the town. She even had a spot for her warhorse, Thunder, now. It was only a two-stall barn and fenced pasture in the large clearing but it was well built. Thunder seemed to enjoy it, stocked with decent feed and the odd apple or treat she'd found somewhere along the way from Gazin to here. Her defences were tight and wards would tell her what lurked nearby and then create some truly hideous noises to scare off monsters.
On her porch, which was wrap-around, terminating at a gate where she'd coaxed a garden into both producing food and blooming flowers with a small pool of water with stones set into its mouth. Coin had been easier than most since she went out every few days to monster hunt, grabbing trouble here and there by its talons, head, horns or what-have-you.
Balls?
Now, she sat sipping tea out of a pewter cup in the early morning as a hazy fog crept in. There was a sign that sat hung between two snug trees that said:
𝓜𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷'𝓼 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮 & 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬
(MONSTER HUNTING JOBS ACCEPTED)
(MONSTER HUNTING JOBS ACCEPTED)
It was neatly burnt into a piece of carved wood which was then shaped like a dragon roaring with the tongue as the signage. Merlan thought it was clever but who knew about the residents.
002. 𝓗𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 & 𝓢𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰
If there's aynone in need around, Merlan is there to help! In fact, she'll even bring her warhorse so they can kick some ass if needed.
003. 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓭
Wherever and whatever your please~002. 𝓗𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 & 𝓢𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰
If there's aynone in need around, Merlan is there to help! In fact, she'll even bring her warhorse so they can kick some ass if needed.
003. 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓭
Re: 001, early June
She focuses on the comforting weight of her weapons as she considers the sorceress' invitation, though it is uncertain how much they would actually help her if she proves to have the same intentions as Stregobor. No, Renfri has no intention to let herself be killed and gutted today.
"I think I would rather stay out here," she says, though again, no saying how much this will help. It makes her feel safer, at least, an illusion of safety.
Re: 001, early June
"Come sit, though." She plops a cushion and then the other a comfortable space apart. "And tell me what you'd like. Mind, not everything is magic. Just some things. Mostly creature proximity spellwork for travelling through the forests." She half shrugged. "Just in case something gets hungry and fancies you as a snack, you'll know it's coming. Armour can be with or without spells - they might be a bit extra with them but it's not difficult to make it without if you'd rather not have magic associated at all. A few customers have requested no magic. It's not a massive request at all."
Re: 001, early June
She does, however, decide it will do little harm to sit on the cushion and cradle the cup of tea in her hands, though she has no intention to drink it. The hot cup feels nice on her hands, though, this foggy morning is a little chilly and she arrived without a proper coat.
"What do you know about the things in the forest?" She swallows hard. "The monsters. Do you hunt them?"
Re: 001, early June
She looks down into her tea before sipping it and her lips press together for a moment. There's an infinitely sad note to her voice, one that borders on tears.
"Sometimes, hunters leave them unfinished, too far gone to be saved. Those I kill because it's kinder, those I'll use every bit of them for something so they aren't a waste. I don't. I don't like killing so it's only when I've no choice. Honestly, I think most times that people are more frightening than creatures."
no subject
"I don't run into many people who show compassion for monsters," she notes, a slight wistfulness in her voice before she catches herself, face hardening again. "Where I am from, monstrous creatures are hunted down and killed. Even the ones that aren't a danger yet, but things which are different are seen as something which will become dangerous sooner or later." Her grip on the tea tightens. "And then the monsters fight back and prove themselves monstrous, whether they want to or not."
no subject
She sighs at the thought, blowing out a breath over the cup of tea.
"I'm so sorry your world has people who haven't faith enough to see beyond their noses. All I can see, especially here, is raw potential. Until something proves malicious, I see no reason to do anything about it save let it live its life as happily as possible. It's a position I'd defend with my life and my magic."
no subject
She inhales sharply. Her hands clench and unclench around the tea cup. Yes, she wants to believe. But trust is not so easy.
"Then you're the exception, and you're going to get hurt for it. People don't really care for anyone but themselves," she says, voice sharp. "You've got to watch out for yourself because nobody else will do it. It's not a nice world. You can't avoid all evil, you can only choose the lesser ones." And she's not always done that, even, she's been plenty cruel herself. "The world's full of monsters and many call themselves respectable people."
no subject
"I care," she whispers. "I care because too many people don't. And I know. I know respectable people who turn out to be the worst monsters. But here? Right here, right now? I see no monsters."
She pauses to study Renfri for a long moment and there's a heavy moment where she just wants to cry because she knows that note in her voice. She's heard it before, she knows and it makes her cheeks flush.
"I just see you and you aren-- Wait...someone called you evil, a monster?" she swallows, her throat tight. "Are they here?" That tight feeling in her gut was blossoming into righteous anger.
no subject
She hadn't even realized she was giving away too much. She hadn't realized... This is what you get for letting down your guard.
"Why would anybody do that?" she demands, voice sharp and scornful now. "I'm human. You can see that."
Making it worse, probably, she realizes, she should have laughed it off, made a joke out of it or not cared at all, someone who has never been hunted as a monster wouldn't care, right? But now it's too late and all she can do is keep herself from giving away everything by reaching for her dagger, no matter how much she craves the security of holding it.
no subject
Her nose was starting ache and her eyes were tearing up because she believed her words were true. The woman sitting in front of her wasn't a monster, she refused to believe it even if a room full of people said as much. They could all bugger off.
no subject
"How would you even know that I'm no monster?" she asked in a softer, more pensive tone of voice, leaning towards Merlan, intrigued despite herself. "How can you have such faith in people you don't even know?"
no subject
She shook her head as she searched Renfri's face.
"Someone says 'monster' and I see someone else running for their life, unable to find a normal place without the deep fear of being chased to ground because they are being hunted perpetually. How does that give them a choice of what to be? Survival to anyone may mean they have to do terrible things but...it doesn't make them monsters. It means they run, hide, are cornered, lash out, are hurt and hurt back or they die."
no subject
Renfri looked down at her tea cup, which she still hadn't dared touch. "I remember what my life was like before Stregobor decided I'm one of the girls who had to be imprisoned and killed for their birth... but it was a different life. I'm a fighter now. I've done things that should frighten you." She looked up, meeting the witch's eyes. She wanted to believe, she truly wanted to believe that she was different, wanted to reach out to her. Maybe she would understand what even Geralt hadn't been able to understand.
"On the morning I was brought here, I was on the way to hunt down the wizard who had hunted me. I was tired of running and living in fear. Only one of us was going to walk away alive, either he or I." She tensed at the memory, walking through the forest from Geralt's camp back to Blaviken, to the showdown that would decide her fate. "And I didn't care what it would take to force him out of his tower. I would have sacrificed however many it took. Instead, I was suddenly no longer in that forest... I was in Vasari Forest."
no subject
She drew a breath and nodded.
"Stregobor's death meant your freedom from the horrors, from the hunt, and the man holed up in a tower," Merlan said, her voice gentle. "I might have done the same damn thing if I were in your position. I think I understand as much as it's possible to do so. And now you're here."
She half reached out a hand and it hovered.
"You no longer have to run. If that man shows up here, we, you and I, will kill him so you never have to terrible things again. You deserve peace of your own making and you deserve vengeance. Light help me, I would give it to you myself if I could."
no subject
Now here was this woman, who herself had magic, who seemed to understand it so well and Renfri thought of what she had heard of sorceresses, of how they were both powerful and dangerous and never ever to be crossed, and she could see that reflected in her. It made her feel a little safer, ironically, made it a little easier to believe this compassion could be real.
"A thing with teeth and claws can recognize another like it," she remarked, eyes meeting Merlan's. "I still can't tell for sure if all of Gazin and you is just another illusion of Stregobor's but I want to believe it's real. More than before now I want to believe." Because of her. She wanted to believe that this woman was real, the kindred spirit who understood and didn't care about monsters.
"If he shows up, then I won't run. I will stand and fight." Her eyes found the hand that was reaching for her but left in the air, waiting for Renfri to make her choice. She grasped it, her grip firm though her fingers were clammy. "You don't need to give me vengeance. But help me take it."
no subject
"You have my word upon my honour that I will be there with you to help you take your vengeance." Merlan gently took Renfri's tea and sipped it before handing it back. "We are travellers in this place, I would share what is mine with you. Anything you need, ask and we'll make it together."
no subject
When she reached for the tea she had still been distrusting and took a sip, she couldn't help giving a little chuckle, followed by a smile that was all caught but also unashamed. She wouldn't be ashamed of her suspicion and with Merlan, it felt like she wouldn't need to be.
Still holding on to her with the other hand, she picked up the tea, raised it to her and lifted it to her lips. "Then I will give this a chance," she announced solemnly. "Maybe this can be more than a sanctuary. It can bring you kindred spirits, too."
For another moment she hesitated, fighting with herself, then she caught Merlan's gaze and drank deeply from the cup.
no subject
"I hate to disappoint," Merlan said, the corners of her eyes crinkling slightly, "it really messes up my day."
no subject
The beginning of this freedom being that she didn't pull her hand away from Merlan's even now, soaking up the small caress.
"I hate to disappoint, too," she responded, her voice far lighter than before, "which means I'll just have to live up to your best worst expectations."
no subject
It was good for both of them, she supposed, her smile was soft as she watched her new friend. They'd be just fine.
no subject
"I'll take that deal," she shot back, playful challenge glinting in her eyes. "I'm considered pretty fearsome at home, you know. A terrible brigand." Her lips twitched. "You should be afraid."
no subject
"Goodness. Will you tie me up and take me to your lair?" she said in a breathless voice. "Or will I join your terrible band of brigands? Mmm, what a story, lovely fearsome Lady Brigand."
no subject
"I don't know," she said slowly, the very picture of someone thinking hard about it, "I might just take you to my lair and then make you join my band of outlaws, let you gain your freedom through villainy!"
And yet even as she joked, she found herself marveling. For someone to know, at least parts of the story, and at least parts of her reputation, and joke wit her instead of condemning her... This was indeed a wondrous place, with wondrous people.
no subject
She meant the last part in all seriousness but it came out as lighthearted and free as the rest. Merlan meant that so much she slid her bright wings from tattoo to curve around their little huddle of hilarity - that was proof enough. She didn't notice them until they glittered in the sunlight, throwing colours around them.
"Whoops," she murmured, "got a little excited about that last bit." She squeezed the other woman's hand comfortingly, though her own face was flushed with something akin to embarrassment. "I should...probably put my wings back."
no subject
It took some doing to tear her eyes away, only to notice the blush on Merlan's face. Seeking to reassure her now that Merlan was the one flustered, she leaned in a little closer, pointedly casual in how she placed an elbow on the table, and said, "No need to put them back. They're just going to make you a more valuable hostage when I take you to my lair of villainy."
no subject
"You like them, my lady brigand?" she asked, her green eyes fairly sparkling as leaned in as well, waggling her eyebrows. The high points of her cheeks were still flushed but she didn't look away as her a wingtip brushes Renfri's shoulder.
"I need to practise more but they do let me fly. I just haven't gotten around to figuring out how to launch from the ground quite yet. The hop-jump looks ridiculous."
no subject
"Then you will have to practice," she declared grandiosely, "I can't have any of my brigands hopping around like a flightless bird!" Her attention, though, that was already on the wing tip that was brushing her shoulder and with this touch, she found herself reaching out, running her fingers over the tips of her wing.